History YMMV / AttackOfTheClones

* MemeticMolester: Padmé. Some fans are somewhat disturbed that she would instantly fall in love with Anakin, who was but a small child the last time they met, so much that she has been the source of many BlackComedy memes portraying her as a pedophile. A somewhat strange accusation, as many seem to forget that Padmé herself was a minor in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', and in ''Attack of the Clones'' she continued treating Anakin like a child until the second half of the film. The age-gap between them also isn't ''that'' severe; there's only five years between them and Anakin is nineteen years old, so he's over the age of consent and considered an adult in most countries.

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Anakin's massacre of the Tusken Raiders in revenge for his mothers death, including the woman and children who'd have had nothing to do with it, is portrayed as wrong such it's his StartOfDarkness. But given the Tusken's seemed to be [[AlwaysChaoticEvil a whole race of bloodthirsty assholes]] who always attack people, and just kidnapped and tortured his mother to death, [[KickTheDog for no reason]] caused quite a few viewers think Anakin was instead completely justified. It was only later canon that went out of the way to give Tuskan nuance/sympatheticness largely as an after the fact fix.

* EvilIsSexy: Zam Wesell. EU materials show her flirtatious subtext with Jango and disguising herself as a harem girl to assassinate a Hutt crime lord.

** Yoda going crazy with a lightsaber is also such a bizarre moment that people had to see to believe.
** No matter how bad a lot of the acting is, Sir Creator/ChristopherLee is still regarded as being one of the best parts of the film, in large part because, well, he's Sir Christopher Lee.

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Anakin's massacre of the Tusken Raiders is portrayed as his StartOfDarkness, but considering they all seem to be [[AlwaysChaoticEvil bloodthirsty assholes]] who attack humans for no reason, and considering that ultimately they just ''kidnapped and tortured his mother to death'', quite a few viewers think he was completely justified.
** Though as time goes by, as the Tusken Raiders get far more sympathetic characterizations in future stories and their hatred for settlers is given some explanation, his actions here become far more hideous in retrospect.

* RootingForTheEmpire: Actually ''[[IntendedAudienceReaction encouraged]]'' by George Lucas. The movie introduces the sympathetic Clone Troopers, who save the Jedi and rout the movie's villains. Then comes the finale, and the movie reminds the viewers that they had been rooting for what will become the Empire by playing the Imperial March as Palpatine oversees the troopers entering the first Star Destroyers.

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Anakin's massacre of the Tusken Raiders is portrayed as his StartOfDarkness, but considering they all seem to be [[AlwaysChaoticEvil bloodthirsty assholes]] who attack humans for no reason, and considering they just ''kidnapped and tortured his mother to death'', quite a few viewers think he was completely justified.
** Though as time goes by, as the Tusken Raiders get far more sympathetic characterizations in future stories, his actions here become far more hideous in retrospect.

** Okay, it's not really saying much considering the weak chemistry between Creator/HaydenChristensen and Creator/NataliePortman, but some fans felt there was more genuine chemistry and affection between Padmé and Dormé in the three scenes that they shared together than there was between Anakin and Padmé in the entire movie.

* EvilIsSexy: Both of the bounty hunters featured in this movie, Jango Fett and Zam Wesell, get this reaction from some fans.

** No matter how bad a lot of the acting is, Sir Christoper Lee is still regarded as being one of the best parts of the film, in large part because, well, he's Sir Christopher Lee.

** Jango's bounty hunting partner Zam Wessel was also a popular character, despite her limited screentime.

** A lot of the awkward scenes Anakin has with Padmé can be easier to swallow when you take into account that Anakin is a 19-year old boy who grew up in (esentially) a monastery and never really talked to a girl ever since he saw Padmé as a nine-year old.

** Jango Fett's prominent role in this film was put in to appease fans who complained about EnsembleDarkhorse Boba Fett [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter being tragically underutilized]] in the Original Trilogy, and getting almost no action scenes despite being built up as a badass. Note that Boba is established as an exact genetic clone of [[TrulySingleParent his "father" Jango]], meaning that Jango ''is'' Boba Fett, for all intents and purposes. Unlike his "son", he gets an elaborately choreographed showdown with a Jedi Knight, kills another Jedi during the arena battle and recieves [[spoiler:an appropriately epic death scene]].

** Okay, it's not really saying much considering the weak chemistry between Creator/HaydenChristiansen and Creator/NataliePortman, but some fans felt there was more genuine chemistry and affection between Padmé and Dormé in the three scenes that they shared together than there was between Anakin and Padmé in the entire movie.

** Okay, it's not really saying much considering the weak chemistry between Creator/HaydenChristiensen and Creator/NataliePortman, but some fans felt there was more genuine chemistry and affection between Padmé and Dormé in the three scenes that they shared together than there was between Anakin and Padmé in the entire movie.

* WheelchairWoobie: Cliegg Lars was confined to a hovering chair after losing his leg during his search for his wife.

** A lot of the awkward scenes Anakin has with Padmé can be easier to swallow when you take into account that Anakin is a 19-year old boy who grew up in a monastery where everyone is celibate and never really talked to a girl ever since he saw Padmé as a nine-year old.

*** In general, do the Jedi try to keep themselves from feeling and believe they ought to be {{Straw Vulcan}}s? Or do they simply believe that passion should be controlled, but not ignored entirely, with Anakin just (intentionally?) misunderstanding it, while the no attachment rule makes a lot of sense for a group who are required to put the good of many over one individual? A lot of material from ''Legends'' mostly supports the latter argument, but there's some arguments to be had either way.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: See the franchise [[AuthorsSavingThrow/StarWars page]].

* BrokenBase:
** Boba Fett unmasked. Some liked that he got a origin story, while others felt that it took away his [[EnigmaticMinion mysterious nature]], as he was always masked in the original trilogy.
** Yoda using a lightsaber. Some think seeing him in action makes him even more awesome, while others think it takes away from his more mystical and contemplative nature.

* HarsherInHindsight: While chasing after Zam Wessell, Obi-Wan takes a crack at Anakin's lightsaber skills, remarking that he would be almost as great as Yoda if he practiced them more. Anakin retorts that he thought that he ''already'' was great at his saber techniques, only for Obi-Wan to tell him its all in his head. What seems like some innocent CasualDangerDialogue quickly takes a sad turn after ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'' would show a practice duel between master and apprentice set shortly before the events of this film, with Anakin's arrogance costing him the match despite initially coming out on top.

** The guy who played Obi-Wan being in a movie called ''Last Days in the Desert'' is pretty funny as it is, since that's where Obi-Wan spends most of his last days.

*** [[HereWeGoAgain The worst part is that it wouldn't be the first time something like that happened in Jedi history]]. [[ViciousCycle It's repeatedly shown]] they have a problem dealing with emotions precisely ''because'' they live sheltered, emotionally-stunted lives; one of them ends up getting a bit too emotional over something and falls to the Dark Side, and they justify it as saying [[CircularReasoning "That particular Jedi couldn't control his emotions, which means we must]] ''[[CircularReasoning do better]]'' [[CircularReasoning at keeping ourselves from feeling"]]. [[MirroringFactions Both they]] ''[[MirroringFactions and]]'' [[MirroringFactions the Sith]] fail to understand [[MasterOfYourDomain Mastering Emotions]] doesn't equal EmotionSuppression; Jedi think they should be {{Straw Vulcan}}s, while the Sith think they should become TheSociopath.

** Okay, it's not really saying much considering the weak chemistry between Hayden Christiensen and Creator/NataliePortman, but some fans felt there was more genuine chemistry and affection between Padmé and Dormé in the three scenes that they shared together than there was between Anakin and Padmé in the entire movie.

** Creator/RoseByrne as Dorme also counts as well, since this was before she became notable with her roles in ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' and ''Film/{{Bridesmaids}}'', 9 years later.

** Seeing dozens of Jedi in action together on the battlefield for the only time in the live-action installments makes the Battle of Geonosis a fairly big draw for moviegoers. The entrance of the Clone Army and Anakin and Padme's BackToBackBadasses moments add to the sequence's memorability.

** Padme's first scene is going to her bodyguard Corde, who got blown up while posing as the Senator. She begs for Corde to hold on and grasps her gently, not wanting to hurt her injured friend.